Condition. The books are in Very Good condition. Spines have heavy soiling. Some corners bumped and lightly frayed. A couple of books have rubbed areas on the covers. Internally books are solid and in Fine condition with only very few minor faults. Set lacks the the fold-out map of Japan generally found in volume 1 volume.

 
Brinkley, Frank (Captain) et al:
Japan, Its History, Art and Literature (Oriental Series), Boston & Tokyo, J.B. Millet Company, 1901-2, Volumes 1-8, Japan, 8vo, 2,477 pages in total, publisher's hardbound with off-white spine over brown boards, top edges trimmed and gilt and other edges untrimmed. Illustrated with 48 full page halftone color plates (with tissue guards). Each volume has a color frontisplate and 5 other sepia plates. This portion of the series offers a comprehensive review of Japan. It covers a wide range of topics to include rulers, history, government, art, religion, trade/commerce, international relations and institutions.

Volume 1 (260 pp - 1901). Present Japan, Primaeval Japanese, Japan on the Verge of History, Japan in the Early Eras of History, the Japanese in the Nara Epoch, the Heian Epoch, the Heian Epoch (cont) and Appendix. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece. A Village Water-Wheel
2. A Group of Ainu
3. Dolmen at Domyoji-yama (Kawachi)
4. A Shirabiyash, Aristocratic Lady, Heian Epoch
5. A Winter Scene in Yokohama
6. View of Katsura River near Arashiyama

   Map of Asia (Color/folding - 4 folds out, one fold up and one fold down) [not present in this set]

Volume 2 (286 pp - 1902). History of Military Epoch, Manners and Customs of the Military Epoch, Manners and Customs of the Military Epoch (cont), Weapons and Operations of War During the Military Epoch, Bushi-do or the Way of the Warrior, Refinements and Pastimes of the Military Epoch, and Appendix. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece. Playing Blindman's Bluff in a Side Street Leading to the Moat in Tokyo
2. Samurai in Armour
3. Palanquins and Carriage - Sleeping Place in an Aristocrat's Mansion
4. Temple Bell at Kawasaki
5. Samurai of the Kamakura Period
6. A Wrestling Ring

Volume 3 (256 pp - 1902). Refinements and Pastimes of the Military Epoch continued, the Early Tokugawa Times, Middle Period of the Tokugawa, Later Period of the Tokugawa, The Fall of the Tokugawa, and Appendix. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece - Japanese Types
2. Interior of the Imperial Palace Kyoto
3. Ceremony on the Arrival and Departure of a Guest
4. Yoshitsun's Helmet (Iron) Twelfth Century
5. Nakajima, Nagasaki
6. The Graves of the "Forty-seven Ronin"

Volume 4 (268 pp - 1902). Manners and Customs of the Tokugawa Era, The Tokugawa Court, Criminal Procedure and the Criminal Classes in Tokugawa Times, Personal Liberty, Justice Slavery and Checks on Vice, Philospophy, Education, Customs and Costumes, Meiji or the Era of "Enlightened Government," and Appendix. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece. A Dancing Girl
2. Boat Bridge on the Nakasendo
3. Fujiyama from Numigawa
4. Oji Tea House, Tokyo
5. Blacksmiths and Wheelwrights
6. Bronze Lantern from Korea and Candelabrum from Holland (b&w)

Volume 5 (260 pp - 1902). Financial and Economical Conditions, Japan's Foreign Politics, Steps of Progess, Creed and Caste, Religion and Rites, Superstitions, and Appendix. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece. Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto
2. Raking a Rice Field
3. Threshing Grain
4. Buddhist Priests
5. Wooden Bridge at Iwakuni
6. A Japanese Cemetery

Volume 6 (301 pp - 1902). Festivals, Observances and Pastimes, Observations and Pastimes (cont), The History of Commerce in Japan, The History of Commerce in Japan (cont), Appendix (included listing of Emperors of Japan 660 BC - 1867), "War Appendix" (not counted in numbered text pages of 301) and Index. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece. Danjuro
2. Boys Playing Kotoro
3. A "No" Dancer in Costume
4. A Japanese Interior
5. Wayside Resting Place
6. Nimon Iyemitsu Temple at Nikko

Volume 7 (396 pp - 1902). Pictorial and Applied Arts. Japanese Pictorial Art, Japanese Applied Art, Japanese Appplied Art (cont), Bronze-Casting, Architectural Sculpture and Decoration, etc., Various Applications of Art, Sculupture on Sword-Furniture, Sculupture on Sword-Furniture (cont), Sculupture on Sword-Furniture (cont), Special Subjects, Appendix & Index. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece. The Goddess of Fortune (Benzaiten)
2. Group of Monkeys
3. Wooden Statue of Manjusri
4. Eleven-Faced Kwannon in Shrine, Fourteenth Century
5. Sword Guards Plate
6. Modern Ivory Statuettes

Volume 8 (450 pp - 1902). Keramic Art (Japan). Early Wares, Wares of Hizen, Wares of Satsuma (Kagoshima Prefecture), Wares of Kyoto, Wares of Kaga (Ishikawa Prefecture), Wares of Owari or Bishiu, and Mino, Miscellaneous Wares, Modern Developments of Japanese Keramics, Appendix (30 pages - in addition to the 450 text pages), Index. (6 tissue guarded plates)

1. Frontispiece. Bowl of Faience (Kenzan)
2. Hirado Ware
3. Tea jar, Water Vessel, Takaton Ware
4. Shuntai-Yaki Vase, E-Hagi Faience, E-Garatsu
5. Awaji Faience
6. Maiko Ware, Akahada Ware